It is with a heavy heart that we say a final goodbye to Commercial Union House, our former happy home and headquarters on Newcastle’s Pilgrim Street.

After many months of demolition, following many years of knowing ‘one day, but not yet’, the dust has now settled on the site and passers-by can see all the way across the block from the spiral staircase and infamous Blue Carpet, to the Tyneside and jeweller's gold clock.

First went the Old Odeon Cinema, somewhat sooner and more clumsily than planned… then after years overlooking pop-up container bars and watching other developments come down nearby, the community of artists, designers, writers and charities were finally given notice to leave their Commercial Union home.

For anyone passing by with an interest in the building, it has been a fascinating process - seeing the building change shape as it was slowly taken apart, exposing wide blue/grey/night sky where before there was brick wall and window frames. Stranger still was seeing internal walls, layers of style and broken bathrooms, unfamiliar walls from rooms you hadn’t seen before, eerily visible like a dolls house for anyone to see from the pavement. Saddest perhaps was seeing a fractured view of your own studio, your own office, your own classroom or wedding venue (yes, that building saw all kinds of celebrations) smashed open to the elements and nibbled to dust.

And now, the void awaits whatever plans actually proceed in the years ahead… accommodation, luxury shopping, more shiny offices… one day, but not yet.

So where are we now? Not far away! We’ve settled into our new base just round the corner, at the historic Brunswick Methodist Church, a 200 year old Wesleyan chapel tucked quietly behind the hustle and bustle of Blackett Street & Northumberland Street. We hold most of our Face-to-Face lectures in their lecture hall and meeting rooms, as well as practical art at Newcastle Arts Centre and other occasional off-site sessions.

We have also continued with our Zoom/Blended sessions as the flexibility and remote format has worked well for many, so we’re still here… and there… we’re wherever our members are!

Farewell to Commercial Union House and good luck to all those creative minds we worked alongside.

You can find out more about our Programme, How to Join and Explore's History on our website or Contact Us for more details